Voltage indicator for electric fences



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Patented Sept. 28, 1948 2,450,153 VOLTAGE "INDICATOR FOR ELECTRIC FENCESSidney A. Moore, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to The Prime ManufacturingCompany, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October9, 1944, Serial No. 557,924 1 Claim. (Cl. 175-183) This inventionrelates to improvements in electric fences and refers particularly totesting devices therefor commonly referred to in the art as signals.

Heretofore, all signals or testing devices used forindicating theeffectiveness of a charge on an electric fence consisted either of alamp which burned with an intensity varying with the charge on thefence, or a meter, the pointer of which swung to and from an indicatingposition with each intermittent energization of the fence. It wasdifilcult, even for an expert to judge the effectiveness of the chargeon the fence by means of these testing devices or signals.

In the case of the lamp, which burned with varying intensity, lightintensity had to be evaluated. which. of course, is very difflcult,especially with varying light conditions. With the meter it was a matterof observing the very quick swing of the pointer and attempting todetermine how far it swung.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide animproved testing device or signal for electric fences which is notsubject to either of these disadvantages and which is structurallysimple and practical and readily mounted in back of the front panelof afence controller or incorporated in a portable testing unit.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide anelectric fence testing device or signal wherein the desired indicationis afforded by a row of neon glow'bulbs so connected with the fence thatthe intensity of a charge thereon is indicated by the number of bulbswhich light up with each periodic energization of the fence. Thus, it isa relatively simple matter to quickly determine the intensity of thecharge on the fence for it is easy to observe how many bulbs light upwith each energization of the fence.

Another object of this invention is to provide a testing device of thecharacter described wherein the glow bulbs and the necessary resistorsare so connected through their lead wires, that the connection thereofof itself mounts these elements on their supporting base.

Another object of this invention is to provide a neat appearing fencetesting device in which all of the mechanism is contained within arelatively small conveniently handled housing consisting ofcomplementary sections.

with the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed, and more particu arly defined by the appended claim,'it beingunderstood thatsuch changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaim.

. The accompanying drawings illustrate two complete examples of thephysical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with thebest modes so far devised for the practical applioation of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fence tester embodying thisinvention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of thefront and back housing sections and thebulb assembly shown separated;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view throughFlg ure 1, taken onthe planeof the line 33; a

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of one end portion of thetester, said view being taken on the plane of-the line {-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a portion of the bulb assembly;

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuit of the device;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 4 butillustrating a slightly modified embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 is a front view of a complete controller illustrating theembodiment of therein;

Figure 9 is a back view of one of the testing devices shown in Figure 8but removed from the controller panel and with part of the back cover ofthe testing device broken away; and

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line I0i0in Figure 9.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which likenumerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates generally thehousing of a portable type testing device embodying this invention.

This housing consists of complementary front and back sections 6 and I,respectively. Preferably these two housing sections are molded from asuitable plastic. The front section may be deeper than the back section,or as illustrated in the modified embodiment shown inFigure '7, thehollow cavities of the two sections may be of equal depth.

The front section has a row of window openings 8 therein. consecutivelynumbered as shown in Figure l and in addition an arrow or. othersuitable legend may be provided on the front face to indicate themanrier in which the testing device is to be read;

Contained within the housing is a glow bulb this invention These windowsare preferably assembly indicated generally by the numeral 9. Thisassembly consists of a back panel in the form of a strip of insulatingmaterial l having a plurality of elongated holes Ii punched therein andspaced to conform with the spacing of the windows 8. These elongatedholes provide pockets in which glow bulbs l2 are received.

The wire leads I! which project from the glow bulbs are used to hold theglow bulbs on the strip III. In the same manner the wire leads I4 ofresistors iii are employed to hold the resistors in position on thestrip l0.

As shown in Figure 6, there is a resistor for each glow bulb, and theconnections of the wire leads of the glow bulbs and resistors are suchas to connect the glow bulbs in series circuit with a resistor acrosseach glow bulb. To enable the connections of the wire leads to hold thebulbs and resistors in place the strip III has small holes l8 throughwhich the leads, or portions thereof, pass.

In that embodiment of the invention particularly shown in Figures 2 and5, the glow bulbs and resistors are on the same side of the strip andthe connections of their leads are behind the strip. is also possible,and in some respects more convenient, to have the glow bulbs on one sideand the resistors on the other side of the strip as specifically shownin Figure 7. In this case a resistor spans the distance between eachpair of holes I.

In addition to the resistors it there is a master calibrating resistorll connected between one end of the series circuit connected glow bulbsand a terminal II which may be in the form of a hook as shown in Figures1 and 2 for conveniently connecting the testing device to a fence wire.

The other end of the series of glow bulbs has a conductor l9 leadingtherefrom, which 'in the case of the portable type of unit may have agrounding pin connected thereto to facilitate grounding that end of thesystem.

The glow bulb-resistor assembly is held in I place between thecomplementary front and back sections of the housing as clearly shown inFigures 3 and 7 with the glow bulbs confined between the rear of thefront panel and the insulating strip or back panel Ill and with one glowbulb back of each window 8. I

The terminals l8 and i8 pass through notches 2i and 22, respectively,when the front and back sections are secured together as by screws 23.

In the application of the invention to a fence controller as shown inFigures 8, 9 and 10 the front panel 24 of the cabinet in which thecontroller is housed has an enlarged window opening in which theindicating device of this invention is mounted. Where the fencecontroller is of the dual fence circuit type illustrated in thecopending application of Sidney A. Moore, Serial No. 557,923 filed Oct.9, 1944, now Patent No. 2,398,442 there are two such window openings inthe front panel 24'.

In any event the windows in the front panel 24 are completely closed bya front housing section 25 provided with a row of individual windowopenings 26 similar to the openings 8. The housing section 25 compareswith the front housing section 6 but is shaped to fit the window openingin the front panel 24 and be secured thereto.

The cavity of the housing section 25 has a glow bulb-resistor assemblymounted therein in the same manner as described, being held inplace by aback cover section 21. One end of each glow bulb-resistor assembly isconnected by conductors 28 to the ground terminal 29 of the controllerwhile the other terminal of each glow bulb-resistor assembly isconnected by a suitable conductor 30 with one of the fence terminals 3|.Thus the charge on each fence circuit is individually visucircuit isindicated by all of the glow bulbs failing v to light up.

The portable indicating device of Figure 1, functions in the same mannerto visually depict the condition of the fence being tested. Thus,assuming that the indicator has been attached to or hung by itshook-like terminal i8 to the fence wire to be tested and that its otherground terminal 20 has been driven into the ground, when the charge onthe fence is at maximum effectiveness. all of the glow lamps flashconcomitantly with the periodic energization of the fence wire.

In the event the fence wire is slightly grounded, which, of course,results in reduction of the voltage thereon, the flashing of one of theneon bulbs will be interrupted. Higher leakage causing further reductionin voltage on the fence results in another bulb of the series remainingout, and so on until in the case of a complete ground all of the bulbsremain out.

While the relationship of the values of the several resistors to achievethe result sought is undoubtedly clear to those skilled in the art, forpurposes of illustration, but not with the intention of specificlimitation, the values of the resistors to effect a desirable indicatingsequence for an average electric fence installation are as follows:Referring to Figure 6 and reading from left to right, 500 m., 150 m., 70m., 40 m., 25 m., 10 m., and m.

Attention is directed to the fact that in both embodiments of theinvention, that is. in the portable adaptation thereof shown in Figure 1,as well as the more or less permanent installation shown in Figure 8,the life of the bulbs is con-- siderably extended because of theintermittent application of energy thereto. As a result, a substantialsaving in cost can be effected by reducing the number of resistorsrequired to thebarest minimum. Only one resistor across each bulb plus acalibrating resistor in series with the entire unit is required.

Thus, as distinguished from previous indicators of the glow bulb type,no need exists for incorporating current limitating resistors in thecircuit of each bulb.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled inthis art that this invention provides a testing device or signal forelectric fences which entirely overcomes the chief disadvantage of alltesting devices and signals heretofore in use; that it makesdetermination of the intensity of the shock on the fence a simplematter; and that the device is structurally practical and commerciallyfeasible.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a device for indicating the effectiveness of the charge on anelectric fence, the combination of: a front panel having a row of windowopenings therein; a back panel having a row of holes therein spaced tocorrespond with the spacing of -the window openings in the front panel aplurality of glow lamps one for each window opening, said lamps beinglarger than the window openings and the holes in the back panel; means 7for securing the panels together in spaced parallel relationship withthe glow lamps held in place therebetween by a part of each lampprojecting into and bearing against the edges a window opening in thefront panel and another part of each lamp projecting into and bearingagainst the edges of the adjacent hole in the back panel: a plurality orresistors; conductors connecting the glow lamps and resistors in circuitwith a diflerent value of resistance across each lamp and with saiddiflerence resistance values arranged in series circuit and-in order ofmagnitude from one end to the other of the bank of glow lamps, saidresistors being on one side of the back panel and the terminals of thelamps being on the other side oi the back panel, said conductors havingportions thereoi passing through holes in the back panel adjacent to thelamp receiving holes therein and holding the lamps and the resistors tothe back panel so that the back panel, lamps and resistors comprise asub-assembly capable of being mountedin place as a unit; a conductorleading from one end of the bank of glow lamps ior connection to ground;and another conductor leading irom the other end of the bank of glowlamps adapted to be connected to an electric fence. SIDNEY A. MOORE.

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,688,976 Lum Oct. 23, 19281,744,840 Strieby et al J an. 28, 1930 1,796,730 Slupinski Mar. 17, 19311,915,709 Wiseman June 2'7, 1933 2,043,499 Vendope June 9, 19362,094,645 Foulke Oct. 5, 1937 2,179,199 Reed Nov. 7, 1939 2,244,009Hiensch et a1 June 3, 1941 2,259,328 Sinninger Oct. 1%, 1941 2,329,063Lockwood Sept. 7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 126,233Austria Jan. ii, 1932 OTHER REFERENCES Superior Instruments Co,advertisement oi Model 590 voltage tester, 1 page.

The following references are of record in the n

